Yorkhill for me would be the springer. Pretty certain Faugheen goes up in trip as long as Annie stays sound. Mullins thinks Yorkhill could make up a Champion Hurdler so unless they decide to go the Arkle route, he looks the value pick. Buveur D'air looks set for novice chasing.
Yanworth hasn't a hope of laying a glove on whatever Mullins runs, but he wasn't the worst back to lay (if that's your thing, it ain't mine) pre-season purely because he should shorten if he sticks to the 2m races in England as the division's absolute muck over there. What beats him? My Tent in the Fighting Fifth, an absolute rogue of a thing that, as we saw yesterday (LOL)! Sceau Royal hasn't a prayer, these 4 year olds are continuing to disappoint. For what it's worth Yanworth looked like a World Hurdle horse yesterday, all out to beat a horse lapped in the Champion last season, but the strength of the Champion really depends on the wellbeing of the Ricci horses... Nichols Canyon I'd say goes WH, unless both Faugheen and Annie don't line up.
Just snapped up some 25/1 about Meadowcroft Boy. He's back on song now and will love the good spring ground.
I thought Yanworth, the ‘hope of the county’, did it perfectly well on Saturday. In effect Yanworth beat a more experienced and tuned up 156 performer (rated 160 but gave the King charge 4 lbs) by 0.75 lengths on his first start for 8 months and his first ever in ‘open’ company. On a literal reading he really only needs to improve a stone to be right in the shake-up re the Champion Hurdle (and there is absolutely no reason why this isn’t possible) and probably less than 10 lbs to be slugging it out for the Stayer’s crown. The one thing that Saturday didn’t tell us though, in my view, was where they should head now. That aspect of Saturday’s race was most inconclusive.
But what would happen if it was an end to end gallop in ‘The Champion Hurdle’?!? Yanworth’s owner has a mega barn full of horses and could run a pacemaker(s) to ensure this happened. Maybe off a sedate pace Yanworth would toil but he wouldn’t, I’d wager, off an end to end, frantic, pace. Others would be crying ‘enough’ (or the horsey equivalent of these words) long before the ‘hope of the county’. Interestingly, as I’ve said before, Yanworth was only stepped up in trip, last term, because of Barry Geraghty’s insistence (his words swayed the owner re the direction they'd head in the short term). It wasn’t the trainer who advanced this plan.
Annie Power and Faugheen against Yanworth in an end to end gallop I'd say Yanworth would be pulled up he has a chance of placing in a world hurdle or else maybe can contest a decent handicap.
Don’t you think it would be Annie Power OR Faugheen rather than both?!? Rich Richtea, the heir to the biscuit tin fortune, hasn’t a history of encouraging competition between his charges. Look I’m a huge admirer of Annie Power and certainly don’t want to do her down but I do think in an end to end gallop Yanworth could, and I’m only saying could not would, give her a race. Old girl Ann apart incidentally I wouldn’t be in the slightest bit concerned about anything else, currently around, in such a run contest over the minimum trip. Re handicaps at the Festival, incidentally, I see Richard Newland has said that Vosnee Romanee (who has had quite a bit of ‘air time’ on the forum in the past) will have his next run, over hurdles, in the ‘County’ in March. Bit of a long term plot there from the good Doctor, methinks.
SBC, horseracing can make an ass of anyone, but surely Yanworth gives the appearance of being an out-and-out stayer? Maybe, just maybe, if it comes up a bog at the Festival for the CH he would have a chance, but only under those conditions. On good ground he would be blitzed in the CH, in other words as much chance as Stonehenge being razed to the ground by one of N.Henderson's bulldozers? On decent going the World Hurdle is best for this guy IMHO.
I certainly agree that connections will have more chance of a success at The Festival, with Yanworth, if they sent him down the stayers route rather than the CH but you do need to 'stay' to win a CH. Horses like Rock On Ruby, who beat Hurricane Fly, Jezki and Hardy Eustace spring immediately to my mind as being horses who could be classed more as 'stayers' than speed merchants so the race certainly suits. As things stand, I can't see any horse giving AP 7 pounds and beating her in March if she is 100% and is allowed to take her chance again but, take her out of the equation, and it is fairly open.
In yesterday’s ‘Racing Post’ there was a piece where, how shall I say this diplomatically, some ‘lesser’ or perhaps Championship class trainers, were asked to pick out a horse or horses to follow from their barns. Only sneaked a peak for 30 seconds or so at the station (Railway not Police) but the one that instantly caught my eye was the good Doctor’s words about Vosnee Romanee. Yep, deffo some plan it he manages to pull that plot off! Mentioned the horse may have a spin on the all-weather prior to Cheltenham.
I think there is some real value to be had in this market if you are a brave punter and willing to make some healthy assumptions. Just going through the oddschecker list: Faugheen - won't make it Annie Power - won't make it Yanworth - far too short off the back of his Christmas Hurdle win Petit Mouchoir - possibly a little short but not badly priced Brain Power - possible left field bid Yorkhill - going chasing Superb Story - surely not good enough VVM - Mares Hurdle surely Apples Jade - stayers hurdle surely The New One - 5th at best Wicklow Brave - handicapper L'Ami Serge - chasing or stayers hurdle Nicholls Canyon - worth a dabble if he goes there fresh 33/1 Arctic Fire - not ready in time Jezki - stayers hurdle Sceau Royal - worth a chance on goodish ground 33/1
Truly hope your negativity proves ill founded mate and one of them shows up for the sake of the race and the meeting. Be a huge dent in the race if we're left with something like Yanworth as the Champion Hurdle fav and I say that as one of the minority who hasn't been dissing him all season! Call me a foolish optimist but I'm still putting my faith in the sports greatest trainer to get one of them to the race in one piece. And let's make no mistakes here, if either line up, even at 80% of their best they'll absolutely smash this field up
